Title

Green Power!

Problem Scenario

I want to find out which cooking method preserves the most vitamin C.

Broad Question

Does broccoli have vitamin C?

Specific Question

Which cooking method preserves the most vitamin C in broccoli?

Hypothesis

Steaming the broccoli will preserve the most vitamin C because the broccoli is not sitting in the water this will allow the broccoli to more of its natural juices.

Graph of Hypothesis

Variables

Independent Variable:

Drops of iodine

Dependent Variable:

Amount of vitamin C in the cooked broccoli.

Variables That Need To Be Controlled:

Same starch and iodine solution, cooking time, same amount of water, and amount of broccoli.

Vocabulary List That Needs Explanation

Broccoli - nouna form of a cultivated__cruciferous__ plant, Brassica oleracea botrytis, whose leafy stalks and clusters of usually green buds are eaten as a vegetable.
Iodine - noun Chemistry a nonmetallic halogen element occurring at ordinary temperatures as a grayish-black crystalline solid that sublimes to a dense violet vapor when heated: used in medicine as an antiseptic. Symbol: I; atomic__weight__: 126.904; atomic number: 53; specific gravity: (solid) 4.93 at 20°C.
Starch - noun a white, tasteless, solid__carbohydrate__, (C 6 H 1 0 O 5 ) n , occurring in the form of minute granules in the seeds, tubers, and other parts of plants, and forming an important constituent of rice, corn, wheat, beans, potatoes, and many other vegetable foods.
Pipette - noun a slender graduated tube used in a laboratory for measuring and transferring quantities of liquids from one container to another.
Asorbic Acid - noun a white, crystalline, water-soluble vitamin, C 6 H 8 O 6 occurring naturally in citrus fruits, green vegetables, etc., and often produced synthetically, essential for normal__metabolism__: used in the prevention and treatment of scurvy, and in wound-healing and tissue repair.
Volume - noun the amount of space, measured in cubic units, that an__object__ or substance occupies.
Steam - noun water changed to this form by boiling, extensively used for the generation of mechanical power, for heating purposes, etc.
Boiling - noun having reached the__boiling point__; steaming or bubbling up under the action of heat: boiling water.

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General Plan

I am going to find out which cooking method preserves the most vitamin C. To do this I will weigh six different clumps of broccoli with 100 grams in each. I will then bring two cups of water to boil. Once the water boiling I will put the broccoli in the water and cook it for five minutes. after cooking the broccoli I will test the vitamin C levels. Next I will put the new broccoli in a microwavable container with two cups of water and cook it in the microwave for five minutes. I will measure the Vitamin C levels. For the last method I will steam the broccoli for five minutes of water. Then I will measure the vitamin C levels. I will do each method twice.

Potential Problems And Solutions

None

Safety Or Environmental Concerns

Getting burnt by boiling water, getting iodine in my eye, fire startng.

Experimental Design

Controlled, manipulated experiment

What is your experimental unit?

Controlled manipulated experiment

Number Of Trials:

3

Number Of Subjects In Each trial:

one subject

Number of Observations:

however many necessary

When data will be collected

early march

Where will data be collected?:

at my house

Resources and Budget Table

Item	Were I will get it	if Item	Cost
Iodine	CVS	1 bottle	$2.99
cornstarch	Home	1 tsp	$0.00
Broccoli	Shaws	3 heads	$3.97
Vitamin C tablets	Walmart	1 bottle	$3.99
Poster Board	Mr. Groves	1	$5.00

Detailed Procedure

1) For the tester solution fill a glass jar with 473 ml (16 oz.). of water. Crush the 500 mg vitamin C tablet and pour the tablet pieces into the water. Stir well to dissolve the vitamin C.
2) Measure 30 ml (1 oz.) of the vitamin C solution and transfer it to another glass. Add 118 ml (4 oz.) of water to the glass. This test glass will contain approximately 31 mg of vitamin C.
3) Dissolve 5 ml (1 tsp.) of cornstarch in 30 ml (1 oz.) of water. Mix the paste until no more dry powder is visible.
4) Pour 118 ml (4 oz.) of boiling water into a measuring cup. Add the cornstarch paste and stir until dissolved. Let the starch solution cool. Set aside.
5) Add 5 ml (1 tsp.) of the starch solution to the vitamin C test solution and stir well. This mixture is your vitamin C reference sample.
6) Use the eyedropper to add iodine, drop by drop, into the vitamin C reference sample. After you add each drop, stir the solution for 15 seconds. Initially the dark blue color from the iodine drop will disappear completely as you stir the solution. Eventually, the deep blue color will persist despite stirring. You have reached the end point.
7) Record the number of iodine drops it took to sustain the blue color. This is the number of drops of iodine required to oxidize 31 mg of vitamin C.
8) Calculate the number of iodine drops required to oxidize 1 mg of vitamin C by dividing the total drops by 31. For example, if it took 62 drops to sustain the blue color, the formula is 62/31=2. With these sample values, it would take 2 drops of iodine to oxidize 1 mg of vitamin C. Record the number of drops required to oxidize 1 mg using your iodine solution.
9) For the experiment bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Once water is boiling add 50 grams of broccoli to pan. Cover it and cook for 5 minutes.
10) After the 5 minutes take the broccoli out and pour 118 ml (4 oz.) of the water into a glass. Count the drops of iodine until the water turns blue. Stir after each drop.
11) Next pour 2 cups of water into a microwavable container and add 50 grams of broccoli. Cover and cook in microwave for 5 minutes. Repeat step 10.
12) Pour 2 cups of water into a pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling put the broccoli steamer in the pan just above the water and put 50 grams of broccoli in the steamer. Cover and cook for five minutes. Repeat step 10.

Diagram

Photo List

I will take pictures as I do the experiment.

Time Line

March 23

Data Table

Cooking method	Trial 1	Trial 2	Average drops	Amount of vitamin C (g)
Tester	57	47	52	0.031
Boiling	8	11	9.5	0.002
Steaming	8	6	7	0.0015
Microwaving	5	6	5.5	0.0012

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Data Analysis

All Raw Data

Graphs

Photos

Tester 1 Tester 2 Boiling 1

Tester 1 end Tester 2 end Boiling 1 end


Boiling 2 Steaming 1 Steaming 2

Boiling 2 end Steaming 1 end Steaming 2 end

Microwaving 1 Microwaving 2

Microwaving 1 end Microwaving 2 end

Results

Boiling had the most vitamin C. Steaming had the second most and microwaving had the smallest amount of vitamin C. Microwaving

Conclusion

At the end of my experiment I found that my hypothesis was incorrect. Microwaving had the smallest amount of vitamin C at 0.0012 grams. Steaming had 0.0015 grams of vitamin C. And boiling had the most vitamin C at 0.002 grams.

Discussion

Benefit to Community and/or Science

This experiment helps the community know what is in broccoli and its health benefits on the body. Since it has vitamin c in it, it should have properties like that of a grapefruit. So lacking vitamin c in your body known as body deficiency is not good for you or your health at all. Broccoli is the choice if you are not big on citric fruits.

Background Research

Broccoli, also known as Brassica oleracea italica, comes from the Mediterranean. It is from the cabbage family by the ancient Etruscans. Its american name broccoli is derived from the Italian brocco and the Latin bracchium which means arm, branch, or shoot. When first arrived in England, broccoli was referred to as "Italian asparagus." Although broccoli dates back to the late 1500s, it did not arrive and become a popular vegetable in the United States until the 1920s. Broccoli and other green veggies contain phytochemical antioxidants in the carotenoid family called lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which are established in large quantities in the eye. Not only does a cup of broccoli contain the right amount of vitamin C, it also strengthens your immune systemwith a 1359 mcg of beta-carotene, and small amounts of zinc and selenium, two trace minerals that act pretty much as cofactors in various immune defensive actions. Helps to get relief from cold symptoms, since it contains Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Studies have shown that broccoli contains more calcium than a lot of dairy products therefore helping to build bone mass. Signs of vitamin deficiency include dry and splitting hair; gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and bleeding gums; rough, dry, scaly skin; decreased wound-healing rate, easy bruising; nosebleeds; and a decreased ability to ward off infection. A severe form of vitamin C deficiency is known as scurvy. You need vitamin C for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. It helps the body make collagen, an important protein used to make skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. Vitamin C is needed for healing wounds, and for repairing and maintaining bones and teeth.Vitamin C is an antioxidant, along with vitamin E, beta-carotene, and many other plant-based nutrients. Antioxidants block some of the damage caused by free radicals, substances that damage DNA. The build-up of free radicals over time may contribute to the aging process and the development of health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.

References

"Broccoli." - New World Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2013.
"The Amazing Health Benefits of Broccoli." OrganicJarcom RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2013.
"Disclaimer." University of Maryland Medical Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2013.
Benefit to Community and/or Science
Abstract
Same starch and iodine solution, cooking time, same amount of water, and amount of broccoli.